by Celine Yorke
She counted the hours until the plane arrived--Jock had been right to say she was distracted. Tom was at the airport to meet Serena as she got off the plane. As soon as he saw her, he took her in his arms in a big bear hug. "You got no idea how much I missed you," he whispered in her ear.
Serena's heart hammered hard in her chest. She didn't know whether to cry or laugh, but she couldn't get any words out. She stood there looking at him, and all she could say was, "Wow...look at you!"
Tom's physical appearance had changed so much. His blond ponytail and beard were very handsome, and his athletic, muscular build filled his clothing differently. His muscular arms rippled against the fabric of his T-shirt, accentuating his wide shoulders on his tall frame. A golden suntan covered his body, and he had an energetic look she'd never seen before, a kind of ready restlessness. He was like a whole new person. They stood there looking at each other as if they saw each other for the first time.
"And you look more beautiful than I remember," Tom said in a hoarse voice. "Would you like to go and visit your parents before we drive up to the summer house?"
"Yes, I would like that, and I'm sure they would like to see you too."
Wordlessly, they travelled to her parents, barely making small-talk--both were overcome with emotion. A lifetime seemed to sit between them.
Serena's parents and her sister Pia were delighted to see them both. Serena was happy to see her family again. It had been a while since she had been home. They were already waiting for them and had set up a table with food for lunch for them all. Serena had tears in her eyes as she let out a long breath of relief, "It is so good to be home again," she said. The warmth and love of her family was so healing. Being home made her feel safe to let go of all the suppressed anxiety she felt without realizing it. The tears were running down her cheeks.
Serena was glad that they went to her parents first to ease the tension between her and Tom. It would take some time before she felt close to him again; he seemed so changed.
He looks fantastic; he takes my breath away. I can't believe he is my old boyfriend, Serena thought to herself. The time with her family provided a much-needed buffer, but she wondered what to say to him. Soon they'd be alone, and would have to talk about deeper things.
As they drove out into the country, Serena began to relax. It felt good being back here again. The countryside was in bloom, and as they drove through the forest, it reminded Serena of all the fun she used to have as a teenager. She used to do a lot of cross-country skiing with Tom. The memories made a smile tug the corners of her lips.
At long last, they came to the summer house. All the memories of all the good times she had spent here with Tom and his parents came floating back to her. The summer house was a dark brown cedar cottage. Pine trees encircled it, keeping the house cozy.
"It's getting a bit chilly. I think we should make a fire," Tom suggested.
They both went out to fetch some wood and built a big fire in the huge fireplace. It didn't take long before the house heated up. The days were nice and warm, but up here in the north, the night could be cold. They had stopped on the way to buy some food, and were now stocking it in the fridge, as well as deciding what to eat for dinner.
"Let's sit down with a drink first," Tom suggested.
They both sat down on the couch in front of the fire. His lips gently brushed against hers, and he began to part her lips with his tongue. He had dreamed so long about this moment, he couldn't hold himself back. Tom couldn't keep his hands off Serena, and soon had her in his arms.
They hugged and kissed some more and were both crying and laughing at the same time. All the frustrations they both been through over the past two years flooded out, melting away.
They sat there, holding on to each other, for a long time. Neither of them willing to let go of the other, but Serena had to break up the romantic moment and go to the bathroom. While Serena was gone, he went into the kitchen to find some food.
When Serena came out, Tom had put a nice and easy frozen meal Serena's mother had made into the microwave. He set the table and found a couple of candles, then told her to sit down. He put some more wood on the fire and brought their glasses of wine over on the table. The warm atmosphere, snug cabin, and delicious food were just what both Tom and Serena needed. Tom's blood warmed with sparks of love as they basked in the fire and each other's company. It was so romantic.
After the meal, they went back to the couch and Tom began to tell her about what had happened to him over the last two years.
"I want to tell you everything because I don't want there to be any secrets between us. But I want you to be prepared, you are not going to like everything I tell you. I didn't want any of this to happen. I guess you could say I was a victim of the circumstances around me, and I can understand if it is going to upset you. I want you to take your time to absorb it all. I will wait for you."
And so Tom began to tell his story while Serena sat next to him, listening. Now and again they filled their glasses up and Serena asked questions. He told her Chan had become his good friend and teacher, and if it wasn't for him, he was not sure he would have survived.
"You may never have heard of these types of people before, Serena, but he is a shape-shifter. He can turn himself into a jaguar and climb the trees like a cat."
Serena's mouth dropped, her eyes widened, and she shook her head in disbelief.
"Serena, I didn't believe my eyes either when I first saw it, but it is true. There are people who are like that."
"But that is not possible," Serena objected.
Tom knew it would be hard to convince Serena, and he had to admit it was a strange story. "They are peaceful people, and they were very kind to me. I lived in their den with them for a while and I learned lots of things from them. I know it has changed me a lot, and it is going to take a while for you to understand." Tom kept talking, hoping she would understand and not be turned off when he told the rest of the story.
They talked until late into the night and Tom felt good to be able to tell Serena everything. But he wasn't sure how she felt about it all, and he still hadn't heard anything about what she had been doing in the time he had been away. Tears ran down Serena's face when he told her about Romina and Lucia. He knew it was going to hurt her, but he wanted everything to be out in the open and would rather deal with any hurt feelings now rather than later.
"You have to remember I didn't know if I would ever come back home again. I was far away from civilization and not able to cope with the many threats there in the jungle. It was a dangerous place."
"I know. It must have been a frightening experience." Her tearful smile revealed little.
At last, they were both pretty tired and decided to go to bed. They cuddled up together in bed, but their minds were too full of all they had talked about, too tired for lovemaking. They both fell asleep in each other's arms and slept right through until the morning.
Tom woke up first and lay there looking at Serena, thinking how beautiful she was and how much he loved her. He cupped her face and kissed her lips tenderly. She woke up and smiled, kissing him back. Serena slowly moved closer and pressed her body against his.
He pulled her little nightdress off and bared her beautiful breasts. He cupped one with both hands, stroking her hardening nipples. Her breasts rose with his caresses, and she moaned as he let his tongue circle around her nipples. He worked his way down between her legs, where he let his tongue gently glide over her clit. She moaned as her body trembled from his sensual touch.
She sighed with pleasure, "I want you inside me, Tom."
When Tom entered her, they were in another world, where only the two of them existed. All their sorrows, doubts and tensions from the last couple of years melted away as they became one person. Nothing could tear the strong love they had for each other apart
Tom thrust and cupped her face. He felt the heat travel through his body, and as Serena's eyes widened, he knew she felt it too. They crescendoed
together and collapsed on the bed, lying in each other's arms again.
After a while, Serena sat up and said, "I'm ready for a shower now."
"So am I, let's do it together."
Serena giggled, "Yes, that'll be fun."
Tom remembered all the little things he loved about Serena in a rush. The way she giggled when shy and her little smiles and gestures, the way she twiddled her hair when nervous, made his heart swell with recollection.
They both cooked breakfast together and sat outside on the little veranda, enjoying the sunshine.
"What do you want to do today?" Tom asked, "We can go fishing in the little motor boat, or we can go for a walk in the forest; whichever you prefer."
"I would love to go for a walk in the forest. I'm always in the city, and I sometimes long to come out into nature and smell the trees and the bushes. But before we go anywhere, I think I should tell you about my friend Philippe. I have been romantically involved with him. After all, I thought you were dead."
"Yes, I'd like to hear all about what you've been doing."
Serena started to tell Tom everything, right from when she fell in the water and he'd rescued her from drowning. The last she had seen and heard from him was when he got hijacked by the pirates. Tom sat listening to her story, right until she finished.
"WOW, what a story! You've had a bit of an adventure yourself."
"Yes, I guess you can say that."
Tom sat quietly for a while. A pain went through his heart. It hurt, but he couldn't blame her for wanting to get on with her life. She, as well as everyone else, thought he was dead.
CHAPTER FIVE
Later in the morning, they walked into the forest to have a picnic there. It was a beautiful morning, and Serena enjoyed the smell and the feeling of being out in nature. She looked around and admired the enormous trees. Many must have been over a hundred years old. The little white flowers covering the ground added a dainty touch that she loved. It was strange to see Tom with his bow and arrows on in this peaceful place, but she knew he was showing off. It warmed her heart a bit.
As they got deeper into the forest, Tom stopped, listening to some noises and rattling in the dead leaves. She silently hid with him behind a tree, watching as he scanned the air, alert.
"Quick, let's climb up the tree. I can hear someone coming." He started to climb it and Serena followed him. He was all the way up to the top in no time, but when he could see her struggling, he crawled back down to help her.
She shook her head. "How did you get up there so fast?"
"One of the things I learned from being in the jungle." He placed her on a branch and kissed her. "Look down there," he pointed, a small herd of deer as they came trotting along where they had been walking.
"WOW, they're lovely. If you hadn't ordered me up in the tree, I would have walked straight into them. You are my hero," she said, kissing him on the chin.
They sat up there for a while and enjoyed the view over the forest. Serena was glad they had chosen to walk into the forest, it gave her a little idea of how Tom had really lived in the jungle. She could tell he seemed to enjoy being back in the wild again. In all the years they had been coming up here to the summer house, they never ventured this far into the forest before. It was a whole new experience for Serena, and it was a little frightening. But at the same time she enjoyed the feeling of being in touch with nature.
They crawled down from the tree and walked a bit further on until they came to an opening in the forest that led right down to the lake. They found a bit of grass and settled down there to eat their lunch. It was so peaceful sitting there looking out on the lake, it was as tranquil as glass and Serena sighed as she relaxed at last.
She realized how stressed she had been from everything that had been going on in her life the last few months. It was not only about Philippe and Tom, but also regarding her work. Although she loved her work and was excited about it, she had to admit to herself it could be hard at times. It was not always easy to keep learning new things, and though she enjoyed the challenge, Jock was demanding. Being here with Tom was wonderful. He seemed so calm and down to earth. It was a pleasure to be in his company. He was not the old ambitious Tom anymore, that part of his character had changed.
"Let's go for a walk along the lake. As far as I remember, there is a sanctuary for the wildlife along there. If we walk quietly, we might be lucky enough to see some of the wild animals."
They walked a little further on and then settled down in between some bushes, where they sat waiting close to the edge of the lake.
"Look, Serena, there is a wolf with her cubs."
"Oh yeah, the cubs are so cute. Their fluffy coats are beautiful," she whispered. Their white markings stood out clearly against the bushy grey coats. They sat there for a while, watching the little cubs playing and jumping on each other.
"We were so lucky to be here at the right time," Serena whispered as they crawled out from the bushes.
They walked back to the open area where they'd had their picnic. "And now you're going to be feeling even luckier when you see how skilled I am with my bow and arrow," Tom joked.
"Oh yeah, don't let it go to your head," Serena teased. Tom laughed.
"Okay, let me see how smart you are."
He pointed out a spot on a tree, aimed for it, and hit it right in the middle.
"BULLS EYE!" Serena shouted. She jumped up and down and clapped her hands. Tom laughed. He did a few more demonstrations for her and was spot on every time.
"I have to admit, you're pretty good," Serena praised him.
As they walked back through the forest toward the summer house, Tom put his arm around her waist and pulled her in close to him. Now and again they stopped, and Tom nuzzled his face in her hair, moving closer to her. She lifted her chin and looked into his soft, loving eyes. Their lips met in a long, hot, passionate kiss. They stood close, savouring their closeness and feeling their hearts beat together.
It was getting late in the afternoon when they got back to the summer house. They carried some wood into the fireplace and started the fire. It didn't take long before they got a big, roaring, hot fire going. It was time to relax with a drink, and they cuddled up close together on the couch. It had been wonderful to spend some leisure time together in the forest.
"Are you getting hungry, Tom?"
"Yes, I am. I was thinking we could put a couple of steaks on the barbeque and eat outside. I'll do the cooking, what do you think of that?"
"How could I resist an offer like that? I'll make a salad to go with the steaks," Serena offered.
"Sounds great." Tom took her in his arms and placed small kisses all over her face. She giggled and threw her arms around his neck. They rolled around on the couch and laughed. Tom nuzzled Serena's neck and caressed her body.
"But we could also do something else first," Tom drawled.
"Um, yeah, and what would that be?" Serena purred.
"I'll show you." Tom started to undo the buttons of her blouse and kissed her bare neck. He moved down over her chest, pulling down her bra to release her full breasts. He felt a rush of excitement as his tongue trailed over her skin, circling her hard nipples.
It made her squirm and moan with pleasure. He pulled off his T-shirt and tossed it on the floor. She ran her fingers over his muscular, hard chest, then pulled her blouse off, eager to press her skin against his.
His breathing quickened as his strong hands cupped her buttocks. He lifted her up and glided his tongue between her legs. She shuddered and moaned as if shocked by electricity as he stimulated her clit. Clutching him with feverish passion, she pulled him up to kiss him.
Their tongues tangled together as her hands moved along his chest, driving him wild.
"I want you inside me again," Serena said as she spread her legs. Tom bent down again and let his tongue glide over her swollen clit. He sucked it into his mouth, watching her face as he teased her.
"I'm going to come," she said huskily, "
I need you in me now, Tom."
"I want you to come a few times first. I want my tongue to feel you explode so I know you've been satisfied. Then I'll enter you."
"Yes! Oh, oh, oh, this is so good," she panted.
As she shuddered and shook, orgasms igniting in a chain, Tom could wait no more. He let his cock enter her with a hard jerk. He dipped his head, taking one nipple into his mouth and sucking, teasing until Serena cried out with pleasure and overwhelm. As she came again, he exploded inside her and collapsed on top of her. They lay there for a while, trying to catch their breath. Tom rolled over and lay beside her. Tom took her into his arms, both falling asleep and waking up when it was nearly dark.
It was still warm outside, and not too late for Tom to throw a couple of steaks on the barbeque. Serena whipped up a bowl of salad and set the table out on the porch, where they had a view over the lake. It was surreal sitting there as they listened to wolf howls punctuated the whirring crickets and calling birds, the lake's song soothing them as they shared each other's company.
They woke up to a sunny day the next morning and decided to go fishing. Tom pulled the trailer with the motorboat down to the lake, and Serena came down to the boat with a basket of drinks and sandwiches. She was wearing a very short pair of shorts and a tight T-shirt that showed off her bust and slim waist. Tom looked at her with loving eyes as she came down towards him. She is so beautiful, he thought to himself.
"I remember how we used to go fishing when we were teenagers. We had so much fun and we always caught fish." She smiled and giggled as she reminisced.
They pushed the boat out into the water and hopped in. Tom pulled the cord and got the motor going. He steered the boat up along the shore of the forest, hoping to see some of the wildlife from the sanctuary. After a while, he stopped the motor and let the boat drift a bit further out in the lake, away from the shore.
"We'll sit here and try to catch some fish, and maybe see some of the wildlife coming out of the forest for a drink or maybe a swim."